UPCOMING CALENDAR

EDITOR’S NOTE: This calendar is being regularly updated to reflect all event cancellations and postponements. However, it is recommended that readers contact event organizers before they attend. For the most updated version of the calendar, please visit or troyrecord.com.

OAKWOOD CEMETERY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST: Attention photographers! Showcase your work while helping to communicate the beauty and value of historic Oakwood Cemetery by entering the Historic Oakwood Cemetery 2021 Photo Contest. Professionals and amateurs alike are encouraged to submit images that feature landscapes, hardscapes, or other features of Oakwood Cemetery. Please send entries from a range of seasons, settings, and subjects. With beautiful grounds designed as a park, Oakwood’s 282 acres offer a multitude of possibilities for photos. Best Youth Photographer: This category is for photographers 16 and younger. We know there are many burgeoning photographers out there and we’d like to encourage their curiosity and creativity. This is also a great family activity for those of you with children home from school. Please specify in your email if you are submitting photos for this category and include the birthday. Please be respectful of the cemetery grounds, stones and monuments. The contest committee reserves the right to reject photos based on content. Photos must be taken in historic Oakwood Cemetery. Photos must not have identifiable faces. No photoshopping or other photo editing. Each photographer may enter a maximum of five photographs. Each entry must include: photographer, Email, phone Number, Street Address, City, State, Zip Code, Photo Title, Brief description of your photo. Submit photos as a high-resolution JPG/JPEG file. All photos must be at least 2400-3000 pixels. Submit entries via email to Oakwoodtroyphotos@gmail.com using the subject line “2021 Photo Contest.” Each photo must be submitted with the entry which includes a publicity release/ permission to reprint photos. Photographers consent to allowing Oakwood Cemetery to use their photos on our website, across social media, in publications, and other materials. Oakwood will not share photos with other entities unless permission is granted in advance by the photographer. Photo Contest submissions are due by October 31, 2021. First place receives the cover photo of a 2022 calendar to be created and distributed by Oakwood Cemetery and a private tour for 4 of Oakwood Cemetery, to be custom designed to meet the interests of the winner. Additional prizes will be awarded in both the adult and youth categories.

RESIDENTIAL COMPOSTING PROGRAM: Mayor Patrick Madden recently announced the launch of the City’s 2nd Annual Backyard Composter and Rain Barrel Sale to promote composting and food waste reduction in the Collar City. The program is part of the City’s efforts to promote sustainable practices and divert compostable items away from local landfills. Backyard composter bins, rain barrels, and other equipment to begin composting at home are currently available for purchase at a discounted price. The program is open to the public, including non-City residents. All orders must be completed online by Wednesday, May 5th. For a full list of available items, visit https://troycompostersale.ecwid.com/. The goal of the program is to help residents divert food scraps from the waste stream, and raise awareness on the benefits of composting. Orders will be available for pick-up from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, Saturday, May 8th, 2021, at the Troy Resource Management Facility (formerly the Alamo), located at the intersection of East Industrial Parkway and Main Street (across from the Rensselaer County Corrections Facility). Due to COVID precautions, all purchasers will be assigned a pickup time. Please note: all participants will be required to follow strict Covid-19 safety procedures during pickup. The City of Troy does not make any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, regarding the compost bins or other equipment offered for sale by BrandBuilders, LLC. Purchasers must direct any questions, claims or disputes regarding their purchase to BrandBuilders,LLC. For more information on this program, call 800-842-0527 or contact Renee Panetta, City Recycling Coordinator, at renee. panetta@troyny.gov.

CITYWIDE EARTH DAY CLEANUP PROGRAM: Mayor Patrick Madden is encouraging Troy residents to get involved in the City’s annual Citywide Earth Day Cleanup Program next month. Each April, Troy residents, families and business owners come together to organize community-driven cleanup and beautification projects at local parks, green spaces, and neighborhoods across the Collar City. Earth Day 2021 is Thursday, April 22nd. Cleanup projects will be held between April 17th and April 25th. Troy residents can make an impact on a neighborhood level, including: Participate in a small-scale alley cleanup at recommended physical distance, Adopt a park or other green-space with your neighbors and collaborate to improve the appearance of it throughout the seasons, If you are organizing a neighborhood cleanup, the City will provide clear bags for litter cleanup and yard bags for organic materials. Additional promotional materials, including Prevent Food Waste magnets and recycling bin stickers, will be available for neighborhoods to distribute to help promote sustainability. To organize a project in your neighborhood, please contact Renee Panetta, City Recycling Coordinator, at (518) 279-7171 or renee.panetta@troyny.gov. Please remember to follow public health guidelines (wearing a mask, social distancing) to keep you safe & healthy. For more information on the annual Citywide Earth Day cleanup, including a list of available projects, visit www.troyny.gov/ earthday.

ELECTRONIC RECYCLING, PAPER SHREDDING & TIRE DISPOSAL EVENT: The City of Troy will host a collection event for Troy residents to dispose of electronics, paper shredding, and tires. The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 8th, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Troy Resource Management Facility (former Alamo site) located across from the Rensselaer County Jail. Registration is required to participate in the event, and is limited to Troy residents only. Registration is first-come, first served. Each participant will be assigned a drop-off time to reduce vehicle traffic at the site. Participants will be required to show proof of residency (driver’s license, utility bill) during the drop-off. Please note: there will be a disposal fee for tires: Bicycle: - $1 / tire, Passenger vehicle - $5 / tire, Other (size dependent) - $50 - $100. To register, visit https://www.troyny.gov/event1-preregistration. Residents without internet access can call Renee Panetta, City Recycling Coordinator, at (518) 279-7171.

TROY SPRING CLEANUP PROGRAM: Public Works officials announced the release of the 2021 Spring Street Cleaning schedule for the Collar City. The City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) has scheduled six weeks of street sweeping and debris cleanup to clear dirt, brush, leaves and other materials that accumulated during the winter season. The annual cleanup program will begin Monday, April 5, and continue through May 14. For more information on the spring street cleaning program, contact the Department of Public Works at (518) 2704579.

FREAR PARK GOLF COURSE 90TH SEASON: Season passes for Frear Park Municipal Golf Course are available for purchase at the Pro Shop, 2701 Lavin Ct., Monday through Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm. The course will celebrate its 90th season of operation in 2021, with opening day tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 9 (weather dependent). Troy residents qualify for daily discounts on greens fees with a Resident Recreational ID Card. ID Cards can be purchased at the Pro Shop for $25.00 with proof of residency (state-issued driver’s license, cable or telephone bill, etc.). Previously-issued resident ID cards are subject to annual renewal. For more info, contact the Frear Park Pro Shop at (518) 270-4553, Parks & Recreation at (518) 235-7761, or www.troyny.gov/golf.

HORSEPLAY CAMP: High and Mighty Therapeutic RIding and Driving Center will be holding Horseplay Camp this summer at the farm in Ghent. This day camp will be run according to all Covid guidelines. Various sessions are available throughout the summer. Please check our website for more information. high-n-mighty.org or contact Rachel - rachel@highn-mighty.org.

SPRING TURN-OUT GRAZIER MEETING: The Capital Area Agriculture & Horticulture Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County are pleased to present the Annual Spring Turn-Out Grazier Meeting, to be held on Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 7:00 – 8:30 PM EDT, online via Zoom. Ashley Pierce will discuss principles of how to adapt your sheep, cattle, and goats to your farm environment and management. Good and bad forbs – the herbaceous perennial plants other than grasses and legumes in pastures - are the topic of discussion for Aaron Gabriel’s portion of the program. Dayton Maxwell will help us understand the different types of money in a farm business and how to spend it to best advantage. Prepare for the grazing season! The meeting fee is $5/person for residents of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Washington Counties; residents of all other areas, $10/person. Join us by registering at https://tinyurl.com/SpringTurnOut2021 by April 28, 2021.

TROY NIGHT OUT: Last Friday of every month - 5 to 9 p.m. - downtown Troy. Troy Night Out is an extended evening highlighting shops, restaurants, arts and culture that takes place on the last Friday of every month in downtown Troy. Attendees are able to support virtually or stroll throughout the streets and businesses, enjoying art openings, music performances, fine restaurants as well as unique boutiques of all varieties. Call in for to-go orders or shop items for curbside pick-up, watch live performances through Facebook, gather friends and family virtually the Last Friday of each month to connect, support and relax! Business Listings are updated monthly online at downtowntroy.org.

ESSAY CONTEST: The Republican Women’s Club of Columbia & Rensselaer Counties, NY is sponsoring an Americanism Essay Contest open to ninthtwelfth grade homeschool students in Columbia and Rensselaer Counties. Students are to submit an essay of 500 words or less on the following topic: “Relevance of the First Amendment”. Grand prize is $250 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. The essay must be double-spaced and typed or printed legibly. Students should include a cover sheet with their full name, home address, grade, school district and parent contact information. The essay will be judged on originality, creativity, neatness, grammar, spelling and development of topic. Entries must be postmarked no later than May 17, 2021 and emailed to RWCCRCN Y@gmail.com. Donations can be made towards this contest at paypal.me/RWCCRCNY. Winners will be announced the week of May 31 and determined by the RWCCRCNY. Americanism Committee.

The winners will be announced in local newspapers and offered the opportunity to have their essay featured at an award ceremony. For information: Sally Hogan, club President at RWCCRCNY@gmail.com.

RACE IN AMERICA: At 6 p.m. on Tuesdays April 6, April 20, May 4, May 18, June 1 and June 15, Dr. Jennifer Thompson Burns will lead a Race in America: A Reading and Discussion Group through the Troy Public Library. This reading and discussion series will explore the inception, inculcation, and function of race in American society. We will discuss this topic in order to improve our understanding of systematic, and social, inclusion and exclusion in American systems. Our goal is to tease out the implicit ways race serves as a real, and imagined, force in the lives of all Americans. This group will explore racial dynamics in America, expanding beyond the black-white binary and our understanding of race, and develop a deeper understanding of the interlocking forces of systemic racism. This group will be led by Dr. Jennifer Thompson Burns, Professor of Africana Studies at SUNY Albany. Copies of the books will be available after March 1. The first book the group will read is Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-First Century by Dorothy Roberts Please have this book read for the April 6 meeting. This program is supported by Humanities New York. Humanities New York is a private, non-profit organization that helps all New Yorkers to lead vibrant intellectual lives by strengthening traditions of cultural literacy, critical inquiry, and civic participation. Registration is required and is limited. This program, designed for community members ages 16+, will be presented using Zoom. Joining the presentation will require the installation of the Zoom client on your computer (microphone and speakers required for audio, camera for video) or the Zoom app on your mobile device.For more information and to register call the library at 518-274-7071 or visit www.thetroylibrary. org.

LAW OF DIVINE COMPENSATION CLASS: Four Tuesdays, beginning May 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m. This class in practical spirituality explores how spiritual laws create abundance, family-instilled beliefs about money that may have been adopted without realizing it, hidden judgments about rich people and about being wealthy, and feelings of worthiness about accepting prosperity. This class is based on the book The Law of Divine Compensation: On Work, Money, and Miracles by Marianne Williamson. For more information, visit our meetup.com group Albany-Saratoga Spiritual Adventures, call (518) 366-9918, or visit www.newthoughtnewyork.org.

SPIRITUAL CLASS: Make Me An Instrument of Your Peace Class – 8 Tuesdays, beginning February 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. The world needs more peace, and it begins with you. Make this prayer of St. Francis an integral part of your life. Take your reading from theory to practice in this interactive class that explores this prayer through Kent Nerburn’s book, “Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Living in the Spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis. Suggested donation: $20 per class session. Hosted by Albany-Saratoga Spiritual Adventures via Zoom. For more information, visit our meetup.com group Albany-Saratoga Spiritual Adventures, call (518) 366-9918, or visit www.newthoughtnewyork.org.

VIRTUAL EXHIBITION: “Portrait of the Artist” is the newest virtual exhibition by the Martinez Gallery in Troy. We invite you to see it and tell us your reactions to it. My desire is to bring fascinating art to you during this time that has limited our visits to museums and galleries. I have been told by many how art has made them feel better despite the challenges we are living through. If you or your business want to join us in bringing more art to our area and would like to be a named sponsor for our next exhibition, let me know. This next exhibition will celebrate the Gallery’s 20th anniversary and is planned for early April. Opportunities for Sponsorships begin at $75. https://www.martinezgallery.org/portrait-of-theartist.

CLOTHING SHED: The Clothing Shed located at the Latham-Colonie Knights of Columbus, 328 Troy-Schenectady Road has reopened! The Covid-19 Pandemic has hit the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes very hard. We’ve had very few opportunities this past year to raise funds for the Community Groups we support! We accept clothing, shoes, belts, purses, blankets, sheets, towels, comforters, curtains, pillowcases and stuffed animals. Please bag all items. We do not accept: furniture, electronics , books, household items, toys, garbage, pillows, rags, fabric scraps, etc.

LITERACY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Make a Difference in the New Year: Be a Literacy Volunteer in Rensselaer or Albany County - Would you like to help someone learn to read, write, or speak English? Would you like to become a more engaged member of your own community? We can train you! Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County (LVORC) is actively seeking volunteers. We are looking for tutors to be paired with adult English Language and Basic Literacy learners, as well as math and computer tutors. As a volunteer you can develop new skills, make friends, and see how your efforts make a difference in your community. To register for the information session, contact mhellerlvorc@aol.com. To learn more about LVORC, visit www.lvorc.org or call 518 244-4650.

LVORC ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS: Since 1968, Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County has helped adults to improve their ability to read, write, speak and understand English.New learners can join Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County by calling (518) 244-4650 or sending an email to LitVolDirector@aol.com. Call (518) 2444650 to register. Visit www. lvorc.org for more information.

NEW TROY PAY-BYPHONE PARKING APP: Mayor Patrick Madden today announced the City of Troy has launched a new pay-by-phone mobile app for metered parking in the Collar City. The app provides a simple, easy to use option for drivers to pay for parking in downtown Troy. Drivers will be able to pay for on-street metered parking using the new Passport Parking mobile app beginning January 4, 2021. The Passport Parking application is available for free download on iOS and Android devices, and at www.passportparking.com. Watch a video demonstrating how to use the Passport Parking application: https://youtu.be/MThHrcDET0o. A map of metered parking zones and instructions on using the Passport Parking app for metered parking in downtown Troy is available at www.troyny.gov/parking. For questions on the City’s parking management system, please contact the City Treasurer’s office at (518) 279-7115.

NEW TROY ONLINE PARKING PERMIT SYSTEM: The City of Troy recently launched a new online parking permit registration system for spaces in municipally-operated lots and garages. The system will simplify the permit reservation and payment process and allow the City to issue and track parking permits using license plates instead of physical tags. Effective January 2021, monthly parking fees for municipal lots & garages will increase to $75. Drivers are encouraged to renew their current parking permit online at www. troyparkingpermits.rmcpay.com. For questions on the City’s parking management system, please contact the City Treasurer’s office at (518) 279-7115.

APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee for the Eastern New York Laborers Training Center will conduct a recruitment from April 16, 2021 through April 15, 2022 for ten Skilled Construction Craft Laborer apprentices, the New York State Department of Labor announced today. Please note that five openings are for the Albany area and five openings are for the Utica area. All applications must be completed on-site for both locations. For the Albany area, applications can be obtained on the third Friday of each month, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., excluding legal holidays, at the Eastern New York Laborers Training Center, 666 Wemple Road, Glenmont, NY; the Eastern Contractors Association, 6 Airline Drive, Albany, NY; and the Laborers International Union, 348 Duanesburg Road, Schenectady, NY. For further information, applicants should contact Eastern New York Laborers Training Center at (518) 4260890. Additional job search assistance can be obtained at your local New York State Department of Labor Career Center (see: https://www.labor.ny.gov/career-center-locator/location-list-all.php).